Faith For Life

I was just having a conversation with someone about the strife one burdens through their 20's, dealing with plans for their future. Decisions having to do with ones career can be much more stressful than those found in your 40's. Simply for the fact that these propositions can lead to either warped and dilapidated or sturdy and self supporting foundations. And when you look at it like that one might produce a head of early grays. Ha, so I read this page recently, and thought I might share.

Remember, no more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty. A great poet has correctly stated this universal truth through these lines:

"I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store.

"For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

"I worked for a menial's hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid."

-Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

And so In the beginning of the summer I asked and stated my purpose. And now doors are opening. Doors I do not think would have been revealed if I had not originally stated my purpose.
If you believe you will receive anything you ask for in prayer. The Bible doesn't lie.

North Carolina

From one church to another it was a great weekend to sit with family and friends in the south. Goodness, what a weekend. I can't imagine that it is finally over. I was finally able to meet Melanie and her splendid church that she raves about in her e-mails. I was finally able to sit down and have chats with family I havn't seen since my higschool graduation.

Ham and Buddy were there with me the whole time; from church to church and getting lost all over North Carolina. I truely was blessed this weekend. Thanks to my Aunt Jackie for helping me sing at not one church, but two during the same Sabbath at the same time. Haha, a little miscommunication but it worked out fine.

Gosh Melanie's church, the Fellowship of Christ, was great though. We had a BLAST! And I was able to get out a hefty amount of Cds so I'm a well rounded shape of happy!

Two out of the three churches invited me back after the weekend. I think I will take them up on that some time. Anyway. It was a grand ol' time.

For info on my new demo click here -----> IF I FALL

it's all fun and games

If you receive news of an upcoming appointment in the mail and then travel 3 hours to be there, you should make sure that you have the right date. Because if you don't, you could end up arriving a month early and not realize it until 40 minutes into the waiting process. Well... what can I say? Despite the obvious blowing of 40 hard earned dollars, I really had to laugh at myself after that.
And it was good thing I remained in good spirits because my day brings great smiles. Truly there is nothing greater than friendship.
'Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If on falls down his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.' -Ecclesiastes 5:9-12
Although in todays case there were 4 of us. Even better.

One on One

This morning I had the greatest worship. Increasingly my worships with Him become void of time and clock watching. Though, not by conscious choice. I actually lose myself in His words. It's less of a morning/evening ritual, rather a thirst or addiction that needs a fix. Ha. Jesus is my drug of choice. And He leads me as such. Because with addictions you end up doing things that you never thought you would do in a million years. There are a handful of things I never had the foresight to see in my life, but here they are, placed in my right hand and left hand. Each touched with gleams of heaven. *sigh my Creator is I Am.

Here is the passage I found so overpowering this morning.

Isaiah 40
1-2 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she is received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.
A voice says "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?"
6-8 "All men are like grass, and alltheir glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."
28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
-NIV (Italics mean I really like it)

What hits so hard about these words is that they they are not talking about the future. Not about when we finally get to heaven. Or after I accomplish this and do that. No, these words are for us. For me. Today. If I surrender and submit my will to Him every day, I will soar on wings like eagles, I will run and not grow weary. What a gift. Read it again.

Music Gives You Wings

It's an incredible thing to watch a song come to life. Tonight, while Dave and I laid some of the tracks for the demo, I was just awed at how the music came alive. When I get to heaven I'm going to ask Jesus to show me where the songs are born. Because I know that they are living breathing things. Just like people they have the power to change your life. But better than people, songs can do it by walking right through you. Or settling just so on your chest, seeping into your heart, and becoming one with your soul. You know what I'm talking about. Everyone has that song in their head that plays whenever your day is at a lull. It changes from time to time. But it has a lasting effect. Where would we be without these songs. These lyrics made live by adding wings, legs and arms.
So it was a beautiful thing to watch my song go from a simple strum and melody line to a track with 3 guitars and room for back up singers with harmony to boot. Sitting there watching the music play across the computer monitor I couldn't help but note how happy I was. I just feel so blessed friends. So blessed.

Creativity, you really can't waste it.

Queen Of Ithaca

Ali is back from her travels of the other world. The world that is more educated and proper than the good ol' US! AUSTRIA. Yesterday we romped and played talked face to face for the first time in 9 months. I'm glad her traveling spirit has come to rest in my Philadelphian back yard. Seeing as how we are both the musician types we quickly fell to fiddling with those strings and notes and songs. I discovered that Ali is amaaaazing! on the guitar! man... She wont let me call her my better half so I'll call her my other half. Gosh, how I've missed that soul. I'm SO HAPPY that she's back. And if she ever tries to leave me again, I'll... just playing. I'm not crazy or anything. But seriously, she better not try. hahahahahahaha (muahahaha).

Git 'er Done

Recording for Grip of Grace the demo starts tomorrow night at 8pm. Pray for my efforts and wish me luck!

Live For Weekends

So, just some advice. If you are going to be away from a job for 4 days, you might not have a job when you get back. Which seems to be true for me. I guess I live for the weekends. During the week I'm running errands, waiting for contacts to get back to me, searching for scholarships, and floundering from one crappy job to another. The weekends are God inspired and God breathed. They literally take my breath away. I wish the rest of my week was more like Friday Saturday and Sunday. Although the week does have it surprises, I just wish that sometimes it included more of the money making! Ha... But... if every weekend is an assured chance to brush up against the robes of Christ, then I'm quite fortunate. Don't you think? Quite...

Barlowgirl

The other day I was searching out Christian book stores in my area and stumbled across a local one that is closing. This place has been open since I moved in. Everything was 40% off so of course I took advantage. I guess I was late though because when I headed straight back to the CD section all the really good stuff was taken. No nothing I was familiar with. Then I noticed a CD and book packaged together by Barlowgirl. USUALLY, I would be annoyed with the name alone and not even pick up the item but I remember hearing a song by them a year ago when Ali was still planning her trip to Austria... (she's coming back Tuesday by the way. The heavens rejoice!) and really loving it. So, seeing as how it was not even $10 anymore I bought it. And since then my CD player has been blasting this all girl Christian rock band... and loving it. I went to Michigan this weekend and read the whole book there and back. Soaked it up into my pores. Sometimes God gives you special gifts right? Well I feel like this was one of them. Reading that book I just kept thinking "this is gonna be me..." And then just praying and praying for the talents to get it done. AH! God is bigger. I keep saying it and every step I take into His unknown territory, I believe it more. His ways are not like the worlds. And that is a grand truth to remember.
So besides Barlowgirl, I can't get Leeland or David Crowder off my I-pod. I swear they are every other song. Good stuff.
Good to be home.

lyrics on mind

Every day is a blessing. Everywhere I look I see miracles. Everywhere I turn I'm being affirmed, in faith and in works. GUYS!!! HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD?!

we were meant to live for so much more.-switchfoot
with his breath in my lungs i am coming undone. and i cannot hold it in and remain composed.- David Crowder Band
we don't know what we're doing, lets do it again! -switchfoot
you make me want to be brave- nichole nordeman
im carried to the table, seated where i don't belong! -leeland